I have exciting news to share with you today! But you know what? I’m even more excited about NEXT Friday. Find out why on today’s Front Porch Friday.
So, are you ready for next Friday? Let me if you’re planning on coming. Can’t wait!
Love!
Posted in Front Porch Friday, Laurie's Posts
There is a passage in Titus 2 that you’ve probably heard before:
“Older women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children, to live wisely and be pure, to work in their homes, to do good, and to be submissive to their husbands.” Titus 2:4-5
I used to read this verse and imagine a footnote referring to a “gray-hair clause” at the bottom of the page. The verse sunk in as “old women must train the young women” instead of “older women must train the younger women.” I thought you had to be a seasoned grandmother before you could pass your wisdom on to the next generation.
My cousins taught me otherwise.
Several years ago, when I was in my early 20′s and my cousins were about 8 and 11, we took a short road trip. We were discussing an upcoming family wedding, and somehow, in the course of about twenty seconds, I found myself smack dab in the middle of one of the most honest, sensitive, and unexpected conversations I’d ever been a part of… all about sex.
The girls asked me about everything that day: dating, kissing, boys, marriage, waiting, purity, and every other spin on the birds and the bees that they could think of. Realizing the serious of the moment, I pulled into Sonic and ordered ice cream for all of us. Right then and there, with our vanilla cones in hand, I made a purity pact with them. It wasn’t an “I’ll wait for marriage if you do” pact; it was an “I’ll promise to wait, and if you want me to continue to drive you home and not leave you on the side of this highway, you’ll promise me the same thing!” 
We laughed together, finished our ice cream, and continued our drive and our talk. It was one of my most favorite days ever with those girls.
I learned something about the Titus 2 challenge that day: you don’t have to be old in order to be older.
So can you be a Titus 2 woman too? Of course you can! All you have to do is listen. When a younger girl has questions about life, she probably won’t submit an official request for you to be her mentor. She’ll probably feel you out with tidbits of conversation. How you listen and respond will determine if she keeps asking.
Then, once a relationship and an honest conversation emerges, pray that God will use you in what you say and do.
You don’t have to have gray hair to make an impact on a younger girl’s life. You could be 13 years old and babysit a 6-year-old who thinks everything you do is gold. Or you could be 16 with a 12-year-old little sister. Or you could be 40 with kids in junior high with a 23-year old neighbor who just got married.
The opportunities to make a difference in a younger girl’s life are endless! Don’t wait for your AARP card to start!
Q: Who is an older woman who made a Titus 2 example in your life?
Want to read more about becoming a Titus 2 woman? Read Laurie’s article, Titus 2 and You from our September 2009 issue of You Glo Girl!
Posted in Emily's Posts
Girls -
I am so excited as I write to you this week. One of my favorite publications has included in its latest issue a collection of cleaning products that we can make at home from everyday products we have on hand. Not only is this super convenient, but what a money-saver! One of my greatest cringe factors when I grocery shop is the cost of cleaning products. Not any more - I have already tried many of these suggestions and they work!
* Glass Cleaner – You will need funnel, measuring cup and spoons, 32-oz. spray bottle. Ingredients: 3 cups water, 2 Tbsp. rubbing alcohol, 1/4 cup distilled vinegar, 5 drops lavender essential oil (optional for scent), 1/2 Tbsp. liquid castle soap. Using a funnel (in well-ventilated area), pour water, alcohol, vinegar and oil (if desired) into bottle. Shake; add soap, shake again. Spray windows, wipe with newspapers. Cost: $.29 for 27 oz.!!!
* Furniture Polish – Use this to clean and restore luster to wood furniture. It also may be used to help remove superficial water rings on wood tables. You will need funnel, measuring cup and spoons, lidded 8-oz. plastic squirt bottle, Microfiber cloth (or clean, soft rag). Ingredients are 2 Tbsp. olive oil, 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar, 1/4 tsp. lemon oil. Using funnel, pour olive oil, vinegar and lemon oil into bottle. Shake well to emulsify. Squirt polish onto cleaning cloth and rub onto finished-wood furniture. Always go with the grain and evenly distribute polish. Remove any escess polish with a clean cloth. Cost: $.34 for 2-1/2 oz.
* White Distilled Vinegar – Vinegar breaks down detergent buildup on clothes without harming the fabric. Add 1/2 or 1 cup (small or large load, respectively) to your wash. (Girls, I have used this for several months now and love the way it freshens my laundry).
Now that your house is sparkling clean, why not try this week’s recipe – Quick Jambalaya - it’s wonderful and easy.
Posted in Glo-ing at Home
Welcome Back!
Once again, I’m so excited to spend this week with you in our journey towards biblical beauty. This week was different for a couple of reasons. First, it was our first week with a biblical beauty “do.” Secondly, this is the first (and only) week where the married ladies and the single ladies have to focus on different aspects of biblical beauty. Since being a truly captivating woman has everything to do with being a married woman who focuses on satisfying her husband physically, I want to encourage any of you single women who are studying Beauty by the Book to go ahead and also watch the Beauty by the Book for Teens video for this week only. You’ll find some great insight, I promise!
Week Five Video: The Captivating Woman
Well married ladies, are you ready for it to get a little steamy in here? Are you ready for some honest and practical insights into how to put some umph back into your marriage and make your hubby’s day (or night!)? Single gals, are you ready for some great info on how to be the type of captivating young woman that attracts a great, godly man? This week is a good one, y’all! Let’s listen as Laurie teaches us how to be captivating! (Click one of the images below for this week’s FREE online video lesson).
Beauty by the Book: Week Five (The Captivating Woman) – Listening Guide: Pg. 107
Beauty by the Book for Teens: Week Five (The Captivating Woman) – Listening Guide: Pg. 107
Reflecting:
I have a friend who is passionate about passion! I’ve known Jen for almost 20 years, so we’ve had many talks about love, romance, intimacy and passion. Our talks began when we were both single, and they’ve evolved through marriage, motherhood, busy schedules and various other seasons of life. Throughout it all, her passion for passion has helped me so much!
Jen will be the first one to tell you, though, that the reason she is passionate about passion is because she is passionate about marriage. She (and I) believe that one of the primary ways that Satan tries to destroy us is by attacking the Christian family unit – a soapbox I won’t go into today. So the obligation to maintain a healthy relationship in the bedroom spills over into overall marital health.
But it begins before you’re ever married – so single ladies, don’t tune out! When Jen and I were single, we spent hours planning our dream weddings (who doesn’t, right?), but we also planned our dream honeymoons too! The time we spent looking forward to our future marriages helped so much when it came to doing the right thing in our dating lives. We put a lot of stock and effort into our future sex lives; we didn’t want to ruin it on a random Friday night!
Fast forward several years to now, when we’re both married and well past the honeymoon phase of marriage. Now her passion for passion has taken on a completely different look. Without overstepping the appropriate level of privacy that should be maintained between a husband and a wife, she makes it her mission to hold me (and three of our close friends) accountable for our sex lives! When we were single, we never thought we’d need godly encouragement when it came to keeping things hot instead of lukewarm. But without proper attention, that is exactly what can happen.
So when we least expect it, Jen sends us “challenges” via email. The challenges include a short Bible study on subjects like love, submission, patience, etc., ideas on how we can execute those qualities in our marriages, and challenges to do something new, creative, exciting, and/or steamy for our husbands. We aren’t expected to “report back” or anything, but just getting that sporadic encouragement helps me remember that our sex lives are important to God. It was important when we were single and God commanded us to abstain, and it’s important when we’re married and God commands that we cultivate healthy physical relationships.
Here are a few of the resources that Laurie mentioned, as well as a couple of others that I recommend. All are by Christians with a Christian worldview.
Finally, here is another online resource for married ladies that I think has some great encouragement for putting your spouse first. I don’t know for sure if these ladies are Christians or not, but so far I haven’t found anything that I’ve disagreed with.
Let’s Chat!
In the comments, answer one or more of the following discussion questions: (Remember, answer a “Let’s Chat” question every week and you’ll receive a beautiful Beauty by the Book charm at the end of our study!)
To Do This Week – Week Six:
I know this week involves some very personal information, so please only share according to your comfort level. I pray that God spoke to you in amazing ways this week, and I can’t wait to hear about it! Love you ladies!
Related Posts: Intro Week, Week One, Week Two, Week Three, Week Four, Week Six
Posted in Online Studies
Tagged Beauty by the Book, Beauty by the Book for Teens, Online Study
I’m thrilled today to welcome a very special group of women who are joining us here on the Glo Girl Blog for the very first time: our sweet sisters from the Compass Church Women’s Conference in Colleyville, Texas. Welcome new glo girls!! Shanda and I had such a blessed time being with you this past weekend. In fact, we were so high from getting to be a part of all that God did that we almost didn’t need an airplane to fly back to Houston. My spirit is still soaring!
The Lord did great things at the Compass Women’s Conference this past weekend didn’t He? And I know it would be such a blessing to all of our Glo Girl Blog community to hear from some of you who attended the conference. So even though it’s only your first day here at the blog, don’t be shy. Post a comment, and share what God did in your life this weekend. And if you need a little help with the first few words of your very first comment here on the blog, then feel free to use one or both of the following sentence starters:
I can’t wait to read your comments and hear how God worked in your heart and life this past weekend!
I have another way for all of us Glo Girl Bloggers to get to know each other a little better: pictures from the Compass Women’s Conference! Enjoy this little pictorial meet and greet:
(l-r) Meet Ann Turner and Karon Arita, Compass Church Women’s Ministry Director. Ann is the kind of Titus 2 woman every Women’s Ministry Director prays will be a vital part of her team in reaching women – and I had the blessing of seeing Ann do that all weekend long. So beautiful!
This past weekend was my second conference with Karon. No, I’ve never been to Compass Church before, but she and I met very briefly last year at another church women’s conference where I was speaking. I discovered later that she was there checking me out to make sure that I was scripturally sound before contacting me for the Compass conference. Don’t you love a Women’s Ministry Director like that? I do. And I sincerely loved getting to know Karon better this past weekend. What sweet fellowship we enjoyed! How I pray that God will give us future opportunities to serve Him together.
The Lord had an extra-special surprise gift for me at the Compass Women’s Conference: a reunion with a friend, Donna James McClendon. Donna’s family and mine attended the same church when I was younger, and we were all good friends. Far too many years have passed since I’ve seen her or any of her family, and God knew that, so He arranged a reunion. I treasured and enjoyed every single minute. Thank You, Lord; love you, Donna!
As always, Shanda served so faithfully at the Priority resource table, and many of you stopped by to visit and shop (thanks for your support for Priority). We were especially blessed to visit with those of you who just finished The Temple Bible study. Your testimonies about that study and the way God used it in your lives meant so much to us. To God be the glo-ry!
Several others of you who completed The Temple gave me hand-written notes that encouraged my heart more than you’ll ever know. When I’m at the Priority office later today, your notes will be posted to our bulletin board where they will encourage all of our staff for weeks and weeks. We love notes, and we love y’all!
Meet (l-r) Beth Watson and Pam Covington, two friends who served with smiles on their faces (just like the ones you’re seeing in this picture) all weekend long. Is there anything sweeter than serving the Lord with a friend? Thank you, Beth and Pam!
And this is mother/daughter (l-r) Robin Barron and Karen Germany. I enjoyed some exceptional conversation and genuine fellowship with them. It felt like I was with family as we visited together — and as sisters in Christ, we are!
Debbi Comparin led and served on the Women’s Conference team throughout the weekend. Debbi is what my daddy would call a “sugar.” God bless you for your sweet spirit and service, Debbi! Other members of the Compass Women’s Conference team were Keri Abshier, Shelly Bestard, Rita Faber, Carol Masterson, Anita Lamkin, Deborah Jenkins, Lisa Garcia, and Elisa Copeland. You glo girls rocked it for Jesus all weekend long! Blessings to ALL of you.
Some girls glo so brightly that they can light up an entire room, and Rita Faber is one of them. Rita, I had such fun with you. Thank you for making a sometimes-too-serious, melancholy girl like me laugh this weekend! I will treasure this fun picture with you.
And last but certainly not least, meet Deborah Jenkins (left, with Shanda). Deborah picked us up at the airport and became an instant friend. Why? Because Deborah loves the Lord, loves His Word, and loves talking about both. Deborah, we could ride in your car and talk to you forever. We love you! Thank you for taking such good care of us.
I wish all of you could have been with Shanda and me at the Compass Women’s Conference. But as I told you on Friday, you don’t have to go to a women’s conference to have a conference with God, and I encouraged you to carve out some time in your weekend to spend with Him and seek His voice. So, how did God speak to you at your personal, private conference with Him this weekend? Post a comment, sister, and please share it with me — it will encourage all of glo girls so much! I love hearing from you.
There are thousands — perhaps millions — of other blogs in the blogosphere. But this one, the Glo Girl Blog, exists for one specific purpose: to provide a place for busy women, like you, to encourage one another to glorify God and give Him priority.
Thank you for gathering here. Thank you for the encouraging comments and testimonies you’ve shared. May God continue to grow our glo girl community and help us encourage more and more women every week, every month, and every year to glorify Him and give Him priority is my prayer.
I love you, glo girls! Your sister,
“Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness…” Matt. 6:33
“Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit . . . therefore glorify God in your body.” 1 Cor. 6:19-20
Posted in Uncategorized
No Front Porch Friday video today, girls, because Shanda and I are on a plane headed for one of my favorite cities on earth: Fort Worth, Texas. It’s where I was born, grew up, wore white go-go boots to school, met and married my man (who, thank the Lord, never saw my gangly 10-year-old self in those go-go boots), and gave birth to two of my boys. I mean, how could anybody not love a city whose nickname is “Cowtown” and whose logo looks like this:
Alas, the truth is, I’ll only really get to see Fort Worth from afar this weekend, but you know what? I’m totally fine with it because look where I get to go!
To a Women’s Conference at Compass Christian Church in Colleyville — right down the road from Fort Worth!!
And I’m not just excited because I’ve been grounded for the past couple of weeks either. I’m excited because I get to be with a bunch of sisters like you. And we get to worship and get into God’s Word together. And I get to teach on one of my favorite topics: the seasons of life and how to be content in every season. And I get meet lots of new sisters and hear lots of their stories. And best of all, Shanda and I will get to see God do what only He can do: touch and change the hearts and lives of women. And if it sounds like my adrenaline is already in overdrive, that’s because IT IS!
On Saturday evening, however, I will be home again in Houston where my adrenaline will have completely crashed. I will be wasted. And yes, once again, I will be grounded. But even then, I will be praising God (from a prone position in bed most likely) for prayers answered and lives changed. I can’t wait to tell you all about it right here on Monday.
So what about your weekend? You know . . . you don’t have to go to a Women’s Conference to hear God speak. This weekend, set aside some time on Saturday or Sunday to grab your Bible, find a comfy place, and enjoy your own conference with God. And I’ll want you to tell me all about it right here on Monday, too, okay?
Enjoy your conference, sister, and I’ll enjoy mine! Meet you back here on Monday. Two-way communication: it’s my favorite thing about blogging!
Your sister who’s praying for you this weekend,
“Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness…” Matthew 6:33
Posted in Laurie's Posts
Psalm 139 is one of my favorite chapters in the Bible. It is beautiful. It is poetic. It is amazing!
Typically, I get to verses 13 and 14 and camp out there for awhile:
13 For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
I love that reminder that God created me wonderfully and perfectly according to His divine specifications. No mistakes. No errors. No duplicates.
Occasionally, I settle on verses 7-10 and swim in the truth that God is always with me.
7 Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
I love that reminder that no matter where I go or what I do, He never leaves me.
But lately, God keeps prompting me to camp out at the end of this chapter rather than on my more “favorite” verses.
23 Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.
To be honest, this isn’t a camp ground where I want to set up tent. These verses are a little more uncomfortable for me than the reminder that I’m “fearfully and wonderfully made.” These verses are an invitation for God to examine me for any area – large, small, insignificant, or secret – to see if there is anywhere that I’m not being fully obedient to His word.
Really, God? Anywhere? Thanks, but no thanks!
But just when I was ready to tune out His voice and pretend I didn’t hear His gentle prodding to ask Him to find offense with me, He spoke again. The point of praying this scary, bold prayer is not so that God can pick me apart and condemn me and criticize me to the point where I feel like a complete failure. The point is so that He can lead me in the way everlasting. So that He can fix it!
He does not ask us to pray boldly for a spotlight on our filth without the promise that He can clean it.
So, yes, it’s a bold, scary prayer.
But we have a bold and loving God.
Q: What bold prayer has God asked you to pray lately?
Posted in Emily's Posts
[Priority's FREE Scripture Art is just one of the ways we help you give God glory by giving His Word priority in your life. Click it, print it and frame it, or Right Click to "save as" or set as your desktop background.]
I believe everyone should get a card on Valentine’s Day, so every year, my kids help me make a Valentine’s Day card for my friends. So, this one is for you, sweet friend! It may not be from a man on a white horse, but that doesn’t mean you aren’t loved!
And a big congrats to Jackey N. on winning a copy of Who Has Your Heart! Email your address to me at emily@priorityministries.com to claim your prize!
Posted in Emily's Posts
Welcome Back!
Happy Valentine’s Day, ladies! I pray that you woke up today with a huge reminder of how much God loves you, today and every day!
I’m so glad we’re spending this day together, and I hope you’re enjoying it too. Now that we’re on the back end of this study with just a couple of weeks left, I want you to focus on one thing for me: finishing! We all started this journey towards biblical beauty together; I want us all to finish together too! You may be tempted to skip your homework. You might want to move on to something new. You might just want to take a break. But – don’t! Don’t give up, and don’t let Satan lure you off track. Just because we’re not meeting in person doesn’t meet we’re not accountable to each other! So, ladies, let’s finish just as strongly as we started!
Week Four Video: The Irritating Woman
Well, there’s a battle going on, isn’t there? 3C Syndrome vs. 3B Speech. Crabby, contentious, and complaining vs. building, benefiting, and blessing. How do we make sure we’re on the winning side? Let’s listen to Laurie as she digs deeper into the truth about the Irritating Woman! (Click one of the images below for this week’s FREE online video lesson).
Beauty by the Book: Week Four (The Irritating Woman) – Listening Guide: Pg. 83
Beauty by the Book for Teens: Week Four (The Irritating Woman) – Listening Guide: Pg. 83
Reflecting:
If marriage is a mirror into your faults and shortcomings, then parenthood is a magnifying glass! Especially when it comes to your inner Irritating Woman. So younger girls, it’s awesome that you’re learning to conquer your inner Irritating Woman now rather than waiting until you become a wife and mom someday. Your future husband and children will thank you!
I grew up in a house with five children. We were a mixed family blended together as a result of two widows coming together under God’s gift of new beginnings. It was a wonderful family, but seriously, five children! It was a constant ball of chaos!
So whenever our mom would have her irritating woman moments (which I can completely relate to now that I have children), I’m ashamed to admit that us kids had a little tune that we hummed to each other behind her back, and it went like this:
You recognize that tune, don’t you! It’s the theme song for the Wicked Witch of the West, or Almira Gulch as she was known in Kansas. For me, Miss Gulch is the epitome of the Irritating Woman, and this theme song fits her perfectly! Can’t you just hear this irritating little tune echoing in your ears every time an Irritating Woman surfaces? I know I do! But now, I don’t hear it when others are being irritating; I hear it when I am being irritating.
One of the first times I knew I had allowed my inner Irritating Woman to surface came just a few months after I was married. I was in the middle of complaining to my new husband about something when he interrupted me mid-sentence and said, “Wow, I feel drunk!” I had absolutely no idea what he was talking about until he continued. “It must be all of the whine you’re serving me!”
Ouch.
Since then, I try (not always successfully) to keep my conversations “non-alcoholic” – no whine allowed. But I really love the way Laurie simplifies the solution to avoiding the Irritating Woman: practice 3B speech! Choose words that build, benefit, and bless others. I find I have much more success when I focus on choosing 3B words rather than avoiding 3C words.
So now, any time I hear first few notes of Miss Gulch’s theme song ringing in my ears, I try to remember 3B speech!
What about you? Did you relate to the irritating woman like I did? I can’t wait to read your comments!
Let’s Chat!
In the comments, answer one or more of the following discussion questions: (Remember, answer a “Let’s Chat” question every week and you’ll receive a beautiful Beauty by the Book charm at the end of our study!)
To Do This Week – Week Five:
Check the blog a little later for a special Valentine’s Day card from my kiddos as well as for the winner of the V-day giveaway of Who Has Your Heart!
Loving you through the One who IS love,
Related Posts: Intro Week, Week One, Week Two, Week Three, Week Five, Week Six
Posted in Online Studies
Tagged Beauty by the Book, Beauty by the Book for Teens, Online Study
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Priority Ministries
Emily Ryan
Laurie Cole
Jan Hart